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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23570014">Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abby_tea/pseuds/Abby_tea'>Abby_tea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Steven Universe (Cartoon), Steven Universe - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abusive Relationships, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Dark, Kidnapping, M/M, Non-Consensual Kissing, Non-Consensual Touching, Possessive Behavior, Self-cest, Slavery, Stevencest - Freeform, Stockholm Syndrome</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:41:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,649</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23570014</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abby_tea/pseuds/Abby_tea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You aren’t a gem" — the hand in Steven's hair twisted as the other went on — “but you were made for me."</p><p>He shut his eyes, and the gem's breath trickled across his skin as its voice turned demanding. </p><p>"If I want us to be together and still be myself, you’re going to let me.”<br/> </p><hr/><p>Steven is separated from his gem who decides it doesn't want to fuse back. </p><p>Unfortunately, it also decides it owns Steven, and that it still likes being close to him. Maybe a bit too close.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe, Pink Steven Universe/Steven Universe, Steven Universe/Steven Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>333</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This takes place in an au after Steven used the warp pad in the start of 'Homeworld Bound.' </p><p>I could imagine Steven coming apart due to how unstable he was acting and how much he was trying to separate himself from his gem and its powers. So I wrote this with an uhh.. darker take on Pink Steven.  </p><p>Not explicit in the first chapter, but the rating is bound to change. </p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steven knew, almost as soon as the warp stream ended and he regained solid ground under his feet, that something had gone wrong.</p><p>Instead of the gem capital he had expected, he was met with a view of a run-down overgrown garden of wilted flowers and bushes - a formation of broken pillars leading from the stairs of the warp pad to a dried-up fountain.</p><p>He knew this place. He had been here once, but Pink's garden hadn't even crossed his mind when he had stepped onto the warp pad, so why-</p><p>Something bright in his line of sight made him turn around, and his entire body jolted when he was confronted with a pink, glowing version of himself.</p><p>“Wha-!”</p><p>He stepped back on instinct and slipped on the platform’s edge, landing hard on the grass-covered ground at the bottom of the stairs with a yelp.</p><p>He groaned and rolled onto his front, blinking up in bewilderment at the doppelganger who gracefully hopped down after him.</p><p>It wasn’t an exact mirror. It was… bigger, taller, scruffy, older looking; like they had been when they’d trained with.. when they- when he had-</p><p>He felt ill, hollow, like someone had turned on a vacuum and put it to his insides.</p><p>The initial shock of seeing himself was quickly turning into fear.</p><p>His hands felt cold and clammy when he twisted them in his t-shirt and pulled it upwards. Last time he had been split from his gem he had been close to dying. This was a completely different situation. He felt somewhat sick, but nowhere near death, so-</p><p>His breath hitched when he looked down. He ran his shaking hand over the skin in disbelief. It was bare. It was as if the gem had never even been there.</p><p>The only indication anything was off was the lack of a navel. Where one would have been, the fine outline of a diamond adorned the skin like a glowing, pink brand.</p><p>He let go of the shirt as if burned<em>. How is this possible? </em>They hadn’t been forced apart from an outside source. No one had taken his gem, so-</p><p>As if on cue, his pink counterpart lifted its own shirt with a strange, amused expression to reveal the gem protruding from its abdomen. The diamond was turned back to its original position<em>. </em>Like mom- <em>Pink’s.</em></p><p>Cold sweat ran down his neck. The sick feeling inside of him was steadily increasing. “H-how did this happen? How did we split?” His voice shook. Up until this moment, Steven hadn’t thought it was possible to be separated from his gem without someone taking it by force.</p><p>It was an uncomfortable feeling to be without it - empty, hollow, horribly <em>wrong. </em></p><p>At least, he noted, he wasn’t dying, even though he felt nauseous. There was no gaping wound or horrible pain.</p><p>“Don’t know.” His gem’s voice was calm as it let the fabric drop back over its midriff, completely devoid of the unease Steven was experiencing.</p><p>“This isn’t right.” He tried to stand, but he was barely able to get up on one knee. “We’re not supposed to come apart like this.”</p><p>The other didn't seem bothered, simply observing him without making any motion to help. Its pupils were in the shape of diamonds, inhuman and unnerving, burning into him as he tried to reason with it. “We need to be whole again.”</p><p>The longer he was kept separate from the other and forced to look at it, the more he wanted it to go away - disappear back inside of him again where he couldn't see it.</p><p>He reached his arm out once he got up from his knees. “Join back with me.” He was alarmed by its demeanor, but he reminded himself the pink Steven he had been reunited with in White's court had also been eerily devoid of emotion before touching him. Once he was himself again, he could figure this out.</p><p>The gem regarded him with a dismissive look. “Don’t want to.”</p><p>Something cold and heavy settled in Steven’s stomach.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You heard me.” it leered at him, folding its arms over its broad chest.</p><p>“You- you want to stay apart?”</p><p>His other half shrugged. “It's been miserable being us. We haven’t been able to do anything together because of you and your hang-ups, but now,-” Its features shifted into a great smile, diamond eyes reflecting the stars around them, “I can do anything.”</p><p>Steven swallowed, disturbed by the answer, but still hoping this was some sort of strange misunderstanding and this version of him wasn’t as malicious as it seemed.</p><p>It was <em>him </em>after all.</p><p>“And - uh, what’s that?”</p><p>The big smile didn’t leave the other’s face. “What I was made for, obviously.”</p><p>Anger flared up in his insides, carrying on to his voice. “You want to - what, rule? Like a <em>diamond?</em> ” He couldn't help the laughter that burst out of him. This was insane. "Things don't work like that on Homeworld anymore. The empire was shut down by <em>us</em>, remember?”</p><p>“It can be rebuilt again.” The other’s tone was confident. “My sisters will agree, in time, once they bore of this trend you set them on. We’ll do it better than before.” Its smile broadened, stretching far too wide to be reassuring.</p><p>“We’ll make a better caste system, one all gems can thrive under. No shatterings. Planets bearing higher life forms will be preserved if they join us."</p><p>The more his pink half spoke, the more ill Steven felt.</p><p>"We don't have to be cruel, but we were made to conquer and expand." it went on and its entire mass seemed to grow an inch. "The universe is vast and chaotic, and the Diamond authority was meant to bring order to it. I finally know that now.” Its voice lowered. “I’ve known it for some time. This is why we were unhappy."</p><p>The gem pointed in his direction. "We tried to bring a new order to our subjects, in your 'Steven way', but we weren’t allowed to fulfill our purpose - <em> my </em> purpose.” A bright glow shone through the frayed fabric of its shirt.</p><p>Steven shuddered. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.</p><p>“You’re just” — tears pricked in his eyes — “going to ruin everything we’ve worked for? Turn your back on everyone. Little Homeschool?" He was dangerously close to shouting. “We made peace across the universe!”</p><p>His gem-half rolled its eyes as if it meant nothing. “And what did we get for it?" It sneered. "We were angry all of the time. Afraid. Pathetic. They still treated us like we were<em> little Steven</em>.” It empathized the term with malice.</p><p>“And Little Homeschool?” A nonchalant expression crossed its face. “I was getting bored with it.”</p><p>The indifferent tone turned accusatory. “So were you.”</p><p>“That’s not-” Steven breathed in. “What about your- <em> our </em>family? The gems! Dad!”</p><p>He was cut off with another dismissive snort. “You really don’t get it.<em>"</em></p><p>No, he didn't get it at all, and it must have shown because his gem-half let out a dramatic sigh before elaborating. “Greg is <em>your </em>dad. The crystal gems are <em> your </em> substitute mommies." it mocked, before continuing, "<em>My </em>family is on Homeworld, waiting for me to lead them into a new era.”</p><p>“You <em> ARE ME! </em>” Steven half-screamed, gesturing wildly between himself and his counterpart, “You are Steven! We’re supposed to be-”</p><p>“Not anymore.” His gem-half looked down at its glowing palms with awe, as if it couldn't quite believe it himself.</p><p>Its eyes narrowed of a sudden, diamond-pupils shifting to the perplexed human.</p><p>“You wanted to get rid of me,” it stated, matter-of-factly.</p><p>“What? N-no.” Seeing this version of himself happy had been unnerving, but the thought of experiencing it angry was ten times more panic-inducing.</p><p>“Yeah. You did. I know you did. I was part of you a few minutes ago, idiot.” The gem took a step in his direction. Steven’s legs shook as he backed away from the other.</p><p>“That’s why we split.” The diamond-pupils widened. “You wanted it, you wished for it. This part of you - to go away.”</p><p>Steven shook his head, the back of his flipflop grazed the bottom of the warp pad stairs. “The only thing I wanted was for us to stop hurting people. I didn’t want this!”</p><p>The gem took another step towards him. “Too bad.”</p><p>Maybe his pink half was right, Steven thought as he turned and broke into a desperate climb up the stairs to the warp pad. This version of him wasn't <em>him </em>anymore. He needed to get away from it, warn his friends and family before this freak got to them.</p><p>If he hadn’t been so focused on getting away, Steven might have found it odd, suspicious even, that his other self simply stood back to watch him.</p><p>The steps weren't made with humans in mind and he was shaking and panting with exhaustion once he stood on the platform on the top. He closed his eyes and awaited the warp stream as he pictured the destination in his mind.</p><p>Nothing happened.</p><p>He blinked, breathed in and spread his arms for good measure.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>No matter how hard he concentrated on his home, the warp pad stayed ineffective.</p><p>Laughter reached him from the bottom of the stairs.</p><p>“Only a gem or whistle can activate it, you dolt.” his pink counterpart sniggered, leaning against one of the broken pillars with a smug expression.</p><p><em> “ </em> My-” Realization surged through him, and he was such an <em>idiot. </em>He let out a sound in between a laugh and a sob and his legs gave away from under him.</p><p>The hard surface of the platform smacked against his knees.</p><p>He was trapped. No way of getting back home on his own.</p><p>“It’s <em>my </em>gem." The other shoved itself away from the pillar and began walking towards Steven again. He was too stunned to move. Not like it would have made a difference. He had nowhere to go.</p><p>“You were afraid of it, of what it can do,” his pink counterpart smiled as it transcended the stairs, pearly white teeth glinting at Steven the starlight. “So now, you’ve been liberated.”</p><p>It looked and sounded ecstatic. “Both of us. Finally free to do what we were made for.”</p><p>Steven wasn't sure he wanted to know what that statement meant for him, but the question still presented itself. “And what... “ He swallowed, forcing himself to look into the inhuman gaze of his gem. “What am I for?”</p><p>
  <em> Please say Earth. Please. I want to go home. Please. </em>
</p><p>The other looked down at him with a sweet, almost tender expression, before its hand shot out to grab him by the hair. He winced as it lowered itself to its haunches so they were face to face.</p><p>Its eyes were wide and triumphant, terrifying.</p><p>He closed his own, and his body went rigid with fear as lips pressed against the side of his face.</p><p>It placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth, twisting its hand in his hair and holding him close when he flinched.</p><p>He could feel its smile against his skin when it finally spoke.</p><p>“Me, of course.”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*Sweats* Uhh, this is my first fanfic posted to this account. The next chapter is mostly done, but I only have a broad idea of where I'm going with this. Feel free to make any suggestions ♥️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Steven tries to reason with his gem. It doesn't work out that well.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The warnings are starting to become relevant. Not explicit yet, but I'm not playing around with the non-con tag.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>This has to be a dream.</em>
</p><p>The tears in Steven's eyes blurred his vision as his gem-half leaned back to look down at him, seeming deeply satisfied with itself.</p><p>
  <em>Some sort of horrible nightmare.</em>
</p><p>He didn’t want to believe what the other had just said meant what he thought it did, but it was hard not to from the invasive way it kept touching him.</p><p>He jerked his head back when it ducked down to kiss him again, and his hands pushed against its shoulders. “Stop it!”</p><p>The gem’s pleased expression shifted into a frown. “Why?"</p><p>Steven blinked, heart thumping in his chest. “I don’t-” He was shaking. He could feel the tears beginning to make their way down his cheeks. “What do you mean <em>why?</em> Because I don't want you to!”</p><p>The other’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you wanted us to be together.”</p><p>He shook his head as much as he was able to with the hand still in his hair and sucked in a deep breath. “I didn’t mean- not like <em>this</em>.”</p><p>His gem’s face turned stern, as did its voice. ”Well, this is the only way it’s going to happen from now on.”</p><p>“What?” Steven’s own voice had turned impossibly small. It felt like something cold and slimy had been dumped on top of him. </p><p>The hand in his hair moved to the back of his head, cradling it softly in steep contrast to the terrifying words. “I’m not going back to being us. Being us was miserable.” The gem wrinkled its nose. “<em>You’re</em> miserable. Weak. That’s the part of us you were, the<em> weak</em> one.”</p><p>It paused, and a shimmer of confliction crossed its face. “But.. touching you..” The diamond pupils moved across Steven's face with equal fascination and puzzlement.</p><p>“Being close to you like this,” its other hand came up to caress his cheek and a glowing thumb brushed away one of Steven’s tears. “It feels good — It feels <em>right,</em>” it concluded. </p><p>Steven ignored the immense urge to pull away and nodded carefully. The gem was confused, he thought, as affected by the emptiness of being split as he was</p><p>He could work with this. </p><p>“I know.” He tried to keep his tone reassuring despite how uncomfortable he felt. </p><p>He wasn’t sure if he even wanted to be whole again with the other in this unnerving state, but it was the only thing he could think of that might stop it from making its ramblings about conquering and ruling come true.</p><p>“That’s why we have to rejoin, we need to-”</p><p>“<em>No!</em>” The loud exclamation drowned out his pleading and left him with painfully ringing ears when he was pushed down and kissed again.</p><p>“You aren’t a gem" — the hand in Steven's hair twisted as the other went on — “but you were made for me."</p><p>He shut his eyes. Its breath trickled across his skin and its voice turned demanding. "If I want us to be together and still be myself, you’re going to let me.”</p><p>He kicked out and shook his head harder, pulling on its hands and trying to move back as it positioned itself on top of him. “No! Listen to me, <em>listen</em>—”</p><p>His protests were muffled by another kiss. The other's tongue forced itself into his mouth, pushing down on his own and nearly choking him while its body enclosed him like a cage. He was panicking, hyperventilating. He had only been kissed on the mouth a few times by Connie and it had been <em>nothing</em> like this.</p><p>It didn't relent when he bit down. Hitting his gem-half’s sides with his fists or kicking at it was like hitting a literal stone.</p><p>Nothing gave or moved back.</p><p>His next breath was sucked away from him as a hand crept down to his stomach, moving under his shirt and groping at the spot where the gem should have been.</p><p>His fingers could barely fit around its thick wrist when he pulled at it and the large palm pressed him down against the warp pad floor with no effort.</p><p>He gasped for air when its mouth finally left his. “<em>Stop!</em>” The hand around his middle pinched him, and the other laughed at his resulting shriek, like it was some sort of game — like it wasn’t even doing anything wrong and Steven wasn't terrified. </p><p>He kicked and shoved at it with all of his strength when its hand began moving lower. “Stop it, get off of me! Stop stop <em>stop!</em> <em>Please!</em>” He outright screamed when a glowing finger dipped beneath the waistband of his pants.</p><p>It paused as he choked on a sob. </p><p>His face was wet with snot and tears. He must have looked pathetic. He couldn’t help it.</p><p>Despite the countless number of life-threatening situations he had been put into, Steven had never felt so helpless and afraid for himself as he did at that moment. </p><p>The other huffed and abruptly drew its hand back. ”You’re so dramatic.”</p><p>“Fine.” It pulled down his shirt. “If you’re going to cry about it, it can wait.”</p><p>He blinked and swallowed down his next sob. The voice had seemed indifferent, but the expression on his gem's face reeked of sour disappointment.</p><p>He was in shock from what had just happened. His body shook with the rush of fear and adrenaline as he tried to wrap his mind around those words and what they meant.</p><p>
  <em>‘It can wait.'</em>
</p><p>It wasn’t going to take no for an answer. It was going to try again.</p><p>He wanted to protest, push the other away, yell and scream at it, but he was too afraid of what it might do to him if seriously angered. </p><p>He — <em>they</em> had shattered Jasper in this state, and no matter how much Steven tried to forget and pretend it hadn't happened, he vividly remembered the complete lack of inhibition he had felt — like he could do anything, was in the <em>right</em> to do anything.</p><p>Evidently, his gem felt it had the right to do anything to him.</p><p>After a while of observing him, running its hand over his face and smearing the mess there on his cheeks, it finally moved back and let go of him completely.</p><p>“I need to see my sisters anyways, announce my return.” It stood up and dusted off its knees from grass, casual as if it hadn't just tried to force itself on him.</p><p>It must have seen something in Steven's expression — disbelief, anger perhaps because it let out a snort. “Oh, <em>what?</em>” The words were formed as a question, but it didn’t wait for his reply. “You think they care about you on your own?”</p><p>The initial snigger turned into laughter. “You think they won't rejoice when they see I’ve freed myself from you?”</p><p>Steven bit down on his weak retort. He wanted to deny it, call the other a liar, but he knew it was true.</p><p>His ties to Pink is what had made him special in their eyes. They wouldn’t have bothered listening to him without his gem — and they weren't alone in that regard, he thought as a lump began to form in his throat. </p><p>Would anyone even care if he wasn’t-</p><p><em>No.</em> He shook his head, angry at himself for even considering it. His <em>real</em> family; the crystal gems, Connie and dad, they loved him, with or without his gem, and they wouldn't accept this horrible version of him without question. They’d know something was wrong.</p><p>They <em>had</em> to.</p><p>Steven brought a hand up to wipe at the mess of tears on his face.</p><p>
  <em>But...</em>
</p><p>He had been acting so awful to everyone around him up until leaving.</p><p>He’d pushed them away, lashed out at them, <em>hurt</em> them. </p><p><em>Would</em> they know?</p><p>What if they accepted the gem as him? Didn’t question it at all.</p><p>He tried to force the anxious notion out of his head, but it wouldn’t leave.</p><p>He had been glowing pink when he’d stepped on to the warp pad. Maybe they’d just reason it had turned permanent.</p><p>“The diamonds don’t care about you, not without me, and the others…” his gem mused as if it had read Steven’s train of thoughts. “We’re better off without them.” It averted its gaze from him to focus on the starry sky above.</p><p>“I think It’s time Pink Diamond left earth.”</p><p>Steven’s innards turned to ice.</p><p>“We’ve had some good years there, I can admit that.” The gem seemed thoughtful for a moment as if reminiscing something before it shook its head. “But I’m done with it now.”</p><p>The nausea and panic Steven had been experiencing earlier was back in full force, and the words blurted out of him. “What? <em>No!</em> You <em>can’t!</em>” He fought to get up. “You can't just <em>leave them!</em>” Desperation bled into his voice. He didn't care if he looked or sounded pathetic. “You have to take me back. Please! You have to-”</p><p>The gem regarded him with half-lidded eyes. “I can do whatever I want, and I don't <em>have</em> to do anything.”</p><p>Steven’s body jolted when he was lifted and held against the other’s chest. Before he had even begun to process what was happening, he was laid down in the grass at the bottom of the warp pad stairs.</p><p>“You’ll be safe here while I speak with my sisters.”</p><p>A hand stroked his cheek in what seemed to be meant as a comforting gesture. “I won't be long.”</p><p>He didn't want to be stuck in the abandoned garden with the other in this state, but the thought of being left alone, thousands of lightyears from his home for an unspecified amount of time, filled him with immense dread</p><p>He reached out for the other when it stood up. “But I need- you can’t!”</p><p>The gem ignored him and returned to the warp pad, easily traversing the massive steps and reaching the platform before Steven had even gotten to his knees.</p><p>He was too weak to follow. Running up and down the stairs and grappling with the other had taken its toll on his already exhausted body.</p><p>“Don’t leave me!” His voice broke as he kept his hand stretched out towards the glowing form on the platform, as if he could somehow will it back to him.</p><p>He couldn't discern if the smile it sent him was supposed to be reassuring.</p><p>“<em>Wait!</em>” His yell was drowned out by the sound of the warp stream.</p><p>The silence in the aftermath was overwhelming.</p><p>His panicked breathing was intrusive and loud to his own ears. He wanted to get up, run towards the warp pad, <em>do</em> <em>something, </em>but it was as if his last shred of energy had left him with his gem. </p><p>For the first time in his life, Steven was truly and utterly alone.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I was blown away by the response on the first chapter. Thank you so much! I don't always know what to respond with, but I love reading all of your comments and thoughts ♥️</p><p>Exams are taking up a lot of time atm. but I hope to be able to post more regularly when they're over.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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